Monday, 9 February 2015

Los Angeles police are continuing to investigate a four-car crash that involved Bruce Jenner and left a woman dead, while more details have been released.

The 65-year-old Keeping Up With the Kardashians star and Olympian was not injured in the accident, which took place on Saturday.

As part of their investigation, police are checking the mobile phone records of the people involved in the pileup, according to NBC Los Angeles and The Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Philip Brooks told the TV station that Jenner was cooperative with deputies. He passed a field sobriety test at the scene of the accident, which took place on the busy Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, not far from his home. He also gave a blood sample at a hospital to check for possible traces of alcohol. The results have not been released.

Five people, including three children, suffered injuries, which were not serious, Lt. Jennifer Seetoo, watch commander of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station in nearby Agoura, told The Los Angeles Times. Police had previously said seven people suffered minor and moderate injuries.

The accident occurred at about 12:15 p.m. Brooks told NBC Los Angeles that a Toyota Prius slowed or stopped in traffic, which was not moving very quickly, and was struck from behind by a white Lexus sedan. Jenner was driving behind the Lexus in a dark blue SUV that was hauling a trailer with a dune buggy on it and rear-ended the sedan, sandwiching it between his vehicle and the Prius, the police spokesperson said.

The Lexus then spun or veered into the opposite lane, into incoming traffic, which was moving quickly, and was struck head-on by a black Hummer, Brooks said. The female driver of the Lexus died at the scene. Brooks added that he did not know why the Prius stopped or slowed. A family of five inside the Hummer was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Scores of people, including paparazzi, who often follow the Keeping Up With the Kardashians stars around, gathered near the crash site following the accident. Deputies said there was "no evidence" Jenner was being chased by the paparazzi at the time of the accident, NBC Los Angeles reported, quoting Brooks as saying, "It's unlikely due to the fact that there was traffic and other cars stopped, so that wouldn't make a whole lot of sense, but it's always possible."

Debris and a red shopping basket were seen near the smashed cars.

"It was a nightmare," Brooks told The Los Angeles Times.

Authorities shut down the highway for several hours following the crash. At about 6:45 p.m., a driver plowed through a police barricade at the scene and crashed into the wreckage, after which he was arrested on suspicion of DUI, deputies told NBC Los Angeles. The investigation was not affected, they added.